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Hat’s magic! Killarney Racecourse to get May festival off to a flying start

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Jennifer Rae, left and Róisín Ní Liatháin launching Killarney Races' summer racing season and ‘Mad Hatters Day’. PICTURE: VALERIE O'SULLIVAN

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Jennifer Rae, left, and Róisín Ní Liatháin launching Killarney Races' summer racing season and ‘Mad Hatters Day’.
PICTURE: VALERIE O'SULLIVAN
 


 
IT’S A case of hats off to the creative team at Killarney Racecourse as it unveils details of its Mad Hatters Day which takes place on Sunday, May 15. The event will bring Killarney's May Racing Festival, which runs from May 15-May 17, off to a flying start.
On offer are three days of the very best of festival racing. Sunday and Monday are both National Hunt cards whilst Tuesday is an all-flat card. Sunday is Mad Hatters Day and there will be two categories in the competition (both children and adults). The theme for the day is “colour and fun”. The highly anticipated Mad Hatters competitions are generously sponsored by Ryanair and Kerry Airport.
Entrants should proceed (before 3pm) to the Mad Hatters Gathering in the Glass Bar situated upstairs over the Jim Culloty Bar, where the judges will view the spectacular headpieces on show. The winners will be announced in the parade ring at approximately 4.30pm.
There are plenty of fantastic prizes on offer. The first prize for adults is return flights for two to London from Kerry Airport with Ryanair including two nights' accommodation and lunch for two with paired wines at Corrigan’s Mayfair. The second adult prize is two tickets to Killarney Race’s renowned ladies day on July 14 which includes the much-sought-after hospitality in the Panoramic Restaurant.
The children are in for a treat too with a very exciting prize of a trip to London with Ryanair and Kerry Airport. The prize includes return flights for two adults and two children to London with Ryanair from Kerry Airport, two nights' accommodation in a three-star hotel, and a one-day ticket pass for Legoland Windsor for two adults and two children. The second prize is an Apple iPod.
On Sunday Celtic Steps The Show (who are in their second season at Killarney Racecourse) will be performing throughout the day.
“We are really looking forward to our opening day of the 2016 Season and Sunday is an action-packed day which promises to be a great day out for all the family,” said the manager of Killarney Racecourse, Micheál Lucey,
The first race on Sunday, May 15, is at 2.05pm with the feature race of the day being The Grade B Ladbrokes Ireland Handicap Hurdle with a prize fund of €50,000.
Monday the 16th May is ‘Lá na gClub’. Six local GAA Clubs (Dr Crokes, Legion, Gneeveguilla, Glenflesk, Milltown/Castlemaine and Laune Rangers) take part in a free-taking competition during and after racing, competing to win a prize of €3,000 for their respective club.
Monday is also Killarney National Night with the running of the “Killarney National” generously sponsored by the McSweeney Arms Hotel. This race promises to be a great spectacle with all the usual thrills and spills of a National and Killarney Racecourse is delighted to boast a €40,000 prize fund for the race. The first race is off at 5.20pm.
Tuesday’s race card is a flat card and the first race is off at 5.50pm.
Packages are still available on all three days for the hospitality suite, for bookings contact 064-6631125.

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Gary Moynihan wins racecourse style title

Style reigned supreme at Killarney Racecourse as local resident Gary Moynihan and Offaly’s Sylwia Novak captured the top honours at the Canella Lane Best Dressed Day. Moynihan, a local neuromuscular […]

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Style reigned supreme at Killarney Racecourse as local resident Gary Moynihan and Offaly’s Sylwia Novak captured the top honours at the Canella Lane Best Dressed Day.

Moynihan, a local neuromuscular therapist, claimed Best Dressed Gentleman in a made-to-measure six-button burgundy double-breasted suit with a navy check from Saville Menswear in Cork. He completed the winning look with a shirt and paisley tie from Simply Suits Killarney and brown derby shoes from Pavers at the Killarney Outlet Centre.
Best Dressed Lady was awarded to Novak, a hospital personal assistant from Tullamore, who wore a red polka-dot ensemble and custom hat designed by milliner Rita Daly, featuring sustainable jewellery made from recycled plastic.
Canella Lane owner Ciana Aspell praised the high standard of fashion on the day, while Killarney Racecourse Manager Karl McCay thanked the sponsors and racegoers for their support.
With the summer season now wrapped up, the team at Killarney Racecourse is gearing up for the October Festival on October 4 and 5, featuring its first-ever Student Raceday with SPIN South West on the Monday. Early ticket booking is advised.

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Gleneagle Concert Band opens recruitment drive for new members

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The Gleneagle Concert Band is inviting new members of all ages to join the ensemble as it prepares for its new season starting this September.



Open to children, young people, and adults from Killarney and surrounding areas, the band offers specialist instrumental tuition starting from age nine. Beginners can take lessons in clarinet, flute, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, French horn, euphonium, tuba, percussion, and drums before progressing into the main band.

No previous experience is required for adults or children. The band also welcomes adults who already play an instrument or wish to return to music after a break.

“What makes Gleneagle special is that our musicians don’t just rehearse in a room and play the occasional concert,” said Music Development Officer Vincent Condon. “They perform at major events, festivals and community occasions, take part in film productions, travel internationally and, importantly, have fun together as a band. The band is open to everyone. We welcome young people who want to learn an instrument, as well as adults who have previous musical experience and would like to return to playing.”

For information on registration and lessons, contact 087 222 9513 or visit the band’s social media pages.

Busy summer of events


The Gleneagle Concert Band has concluded a busy 12 months featuring public performances, festival appearances, and charity work.

Highlights included the annual summer street concerts in Killarney town, along with performances at Puck Fair, the Rose of Tralee, and the Summer in Killarney Festival. Band members were also involved in the filming of Jimmy, an upcoming Hollywood biographical drama based on actor Jimmy Stewart.

Community fundraising remained a focus over the past year, with the band supporting local causes including the Kerry Stars Special Olympics Sports Club and Recovery Haven Kerry Cancer Support House alongside a sold-out Annual Concert.

Following a tour to Seville in 2025, the band has confirmed its next overseas trip to Bilbao and San Sebastián in northern Spain, scheduled for August 2027.

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